VintageGeorge Barris Flamer

Finally happy to start building my flamer. I feel like this is going to be one of the more fun builds I’ll be doing. It sat on the side of the house since I got it almost 2 years ago. Gonna try using the Briggs for now until I find a tecumseh. Looking forward to a great build off with everyone who is participating.

Well-Known Member

Pull the bolts out that are on the forks midway on the forkplate, that will release the lowers (if they are not frozen to bad) I would try and carefully work the lower and upper edges of the boots with a very thin tool while oiling between them and steel (try no to pull or tear them if they are good) and get them loose before pulling the lowers totally off. If you can save them do it as what they are based off of the repops are a bit large and dont fit as well.
Only pics I had when I took my last Barris apart to rebuild but may help on the forks

can see in this pic the slotted holes that the bolts ride in, there is a spring inside the lower tube that rests against the bolt when assembled.

I cant remember if these were the repopped boots (they are for a certain BSA motorcycle if I remember correctly) or if I soaked and saved the originals but when I put them back on the bike upon assembly I did use some electrical tape to build up the tubing a bit to keep them from moving/sliding out of place on the tubing under the boot top and bottoms.

Pull the bolts out that are on the forks midway on the forkplate, that will release the lowers (if they are not frozen to bad) I would try and carefully work the lower and upper edges of the boots with a very thin tool while oiling between them and steel (try no to pull or tear them if they are good) and get them loose before pulling the lowers totally off. If you can save them do it as what they are based off of the repops are a bit large and dont fit as well.
Only pics I had when I took my last Barris apart to rebuild but may help on the forks

can see in this pic the slotted holes that the bolts ride in, there is a spring inside the lower tube that rests against the bolt when assembled.

I cant remember if these were the repopped boots (they are for a certain BSA motorcycle if I remember correctly) or if I soaked and saved the originals but when I put them back on the bike upon assembly I did use some electrical tape to build up the tubing a bit to keep them from moving/sliding out of place on the tubing under the boot top and bottoms.

probably just off ebay or maybe a british motorcycle parts vendor. Just search BSA gaiters and they will eventually show up, cant remember the model offhand. like I said though they do run wide on the ends, at least the set I got. May have been from poor quality repopping at the time or maybe just how it is for those.

Everything was going so smooth taking apart the lower legs of the forks. One side came out like butter, but the other side no. It finally came out then realized that the piece at the top of the springs is stuck in the forks. Hoping that soaking the inside of the forks in PB blaster will knock it loose.

Got most of the forks stripped today. Unfortunately my grandfathers bead blaster isn’t all that big so his buddy is gonna have the rest of it stripped and the frame stripped as well. Was also very surprised to see most of the original decal under all the paint. The forks are going to my buddies place tomorrow to be straightened and it’ll be ready for powder coating.

Update with the help of a friend because I don’t know how to weld yet. Today I got the forks straight. Before straightening them, the front wheel would face pretty far to the right. Got new foot peg set up that I made and the rear seat mount. Next is to just build it and make sure the brake and throttle are to my liking and everything else is up to par. Then tear down and off to stripping and powder coat.